ZTNGTBEKArETE. 261 



through tlie center of the leafy tuhe formed hy tlie sheathing petioles; scape 

 leafy and crowned with a simple sj)ike of small Howers, creamy yellow. 



Of this genus there are about twenty-tive species, several of them yielding 

 arrow-root ; but the C. louga is the only one that yields the coloring-matter 

 known as curcuma, or turmeric. 



Geographij. — The curcuma is indigenous to the south of Asia and the 

 Malay peninsula ; it tlourislie;^ only in the regions of no frost. It is culti- 

 vated and made an article of ct)mmerce in Hindustan, Cochin China, southern 

 India, Bengal, Java, and the isles of the I'acitic. 



Eti/molof/i/. — Ctu'cu ma, the generic name, is the Latinized form of the Arabic 

 name /ciirLum, signifying "yellow." Longa, the specific name, is Latin, signi- 

 fying " long," and refers to the length of the scape The connnon name, 

 turmeric, is of unknown origin. 



Histury. — The home of the curcuma is Farther India and the Asiatic 

 islands. Where its products were first introduced into domestic economy or 

 the arts is not recorded. The drug was known to the 

 people of the countries of the Levant and southern 

 Europe prior to the commencement of tlie Ciiristian era. 

 Dioscorides speaks of it under the name of Cyperus In- 

 (ficiis ; and it is believed to be the " saffron " spoken of 

 in the Scriptures. 



Chemistry. — It yields to tlie chemist a substance to 

 which the color is due, called curcumin .- the aromatic 

 taste and smell reside in another substance known under 

 the name of tnrmerol. 



Use. — The young tubers do not contain a coloring- 

 matter, and are largely used for food in the islands of 

 the coast of Asia and in the Pacific. The voung root, 

 dried and reduced to a powder, is the arro^v-root of the Curcuma lonoa 

 East Indies. The pulverized ripened root is used prin- (Turmeric), 



cipally for coloring. 



In India it enters into curry powder and other culinary pre))arations. Its 

 dye is not permanent, yet it is largely used. 



The medicinal ])roperties are stomachic, slightly tonic, and cordial. It is 

 used in coloring foods, medicines, and cosmetics. In the East it is made into 

 a paste with oil, and used to anoint the body at marriage festivities. 



Paper colored with turmeric is used for testing tlie presence of alkalies in 

 liquids ; if alkali is present, the paper becomes brown. 



MARANTA, Plum. (Arrowroot.) Calyx of :] distinct lanceolafp 

 sepals ; staminodia petaloid, united at base with stamens. Flower 

 perfect, bracted ; bracts under the branches narrow, appressed; 

 corolla tubular at the base, curved, ^ imbricated divisions at the 

 limb, alternating with the sepals. 



M. arundinacea, W. (Arrowroot.) Stem 2 feet high, branched ; rhizome 

 fleshy. Leaves lanceolate, hairy. Flowers in clusters; 2 flowers on a stalk, 

 peduncles short. Fruit globular, (»ne eiorhth of an inch in diameter ; rhizomes 

 from 10 to 15 inches long, half an inch in diameter, enveloped by membrana- 

 ceous scales. 



